Linn County Temporary Redistricting Commission Begins Work

The five-member Linn County Temporary Redistricting Commission held its first meeting Aug. 18. The Commission was appointed by the Linn County Board of Supervisors per Iowa code following the November 2016 election where Linn County voters voted to reduce the membership of the Linn County Board of Supervisors from five to three. On Aug. 1, 2017, Linn County voters voted to keep the current district representation plan, known as Plan 3, which requires supervisors to live in the district they represent and only residents of the district can vote for that supervisor. Linn County’s supervisor districts must now be redrawn from five to three.

The Linn County Temporary Redistricting Commission is responsible for drawing equal-population redistricting maps that conform to requirements outlined in Iowa Code. The commission voted to use Linn County’s Geographic Information System (GIS) department to generate the maps. After meeting code requirements, including holding a public hearing on the proposed map plans, the commission will submit a plan to the Board of Supervisors and the Secretary of State for approval. New supervisor districts must be designated by February 15, 2018.

All meetings of the temporary redistricting commission are open to the public. The next meeting is scheduled for Sept. 8 at 9 a.m. at the Linn County Public Service Center, 935 Second St. SW, Cedar Rapids. Signup to be notified of the meetings and agendas.

The temporary redistricting commission members are: Ray Dochterman, Cindy Golding, Sarah Halbrook, Dave Machacek and Nate Willems.

All three supervisor seats will be on the ballot during the general election in November 2018. The three member Board of Supervisors will take office January 2, 2019.

You’re Invited!
Linn Landowner Forum

Sunday, Sept. 17, 1 - 4:30 p.m.
Clearwater Farms

4970 Lakeside Rd.
Marion, IA

A new Linn County movement is beginning to help landowners bring more nature to their land. Together we can restore and preserve 10,000 more acres of natural land in Linn County! This will benefit pollinators and wildlife, increase water quality and help mitigate flooding. Our neighborhoods will be healthier, our waters cleaner and our lives more interesting.

Partnerships with Indian Creek Nature Center, the Monarch Research Project, Linn County Conservation, Trees Forever, Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation and workshop sponsor Alliant Energy Corporation bring this workshop to landowners in Linn County and surrounding counties. You'll have the opportunity to:

• Meet helpful experts 
• Learn how even small natural areas benefit wildlife, pollinators and land quality
• Enjoy interactive sessions on keeping your woods healthy, planting a micro-prairie and much more
• Witness the release of roughly 300 monarch butterflies into the wild after the workshop

At the end, attendees who commit to planting and caring for a bit of prairie on their land will receive enough free seed for a 10'x40' prairie!

Free admission. 
RSVP is appreciated by Sept. 4.
Register soon. Space is limited.

 
Sign up here or call Linn County Conservation at 319-892-6450.

Linn County Receives “SolSmart Silver” Award for Advancing Solar Energy Growth

SolSmart, a program funded by the U.S. Department of Energy SunShot Initiative, has awarded a silver designation to Linn County for its significant action to promote a robust local solar market.

As a SolSmart Silver designee, Linn County is receiving national recognition for adopting programs and practices that make it faster, easier and cheaper to go solar. A SolSmart designation is a signal that the community is “open for solar business,” helping to attract solar industry investment and generate economic development and local jobs.

To achieve designation, cities and counties take steps to reduce solar “soft costs,” which are non-hardware costs that can increase the time and money it takes to install a solar energy system. Examples of soft costs include planning and zoning; permitting; financing; customer acquisition; and installation labor. Soft costs now represent roughly two-thirds of the total price of an installed residential system. Reducing these costs leads to savings that are passed on to consumers.

SolSmart is a national designation and technical assistance program that recognizes leading solar communities and empowers additional communities to expand their local solar markets to make it possible for even more American homes and businesses to access solar energy to meet their electricity needs. Learn more at SolSmart.org.